Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a service scheduling system and a corresponding method. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for scheduling services offered by a service provider to a plurality of clients.
Description of Related Art
Presently appointment scheduling at a service provider such as e.g. a dentist, a doctor, a hairdresser or the municipality is a relatively static process. Typically, an employee of the service provider checks a digital or paper calendar for suitable, free time slots and makes an appointment suggestion to the client who himself checks whether the suggested date and time suits his personal schedule.
Once a match is found, both parties agree on the appointment time and usually it is the client's responsibility to make sure he blocks the appointment time in his personal schedule, e.g. by adding a respective note to his calendar. All the service provider can do to assure the client actually takes a note of the appointment is handing out a small paper card etc. on which the appointment is noted. In most cases, the process ends here and the service provider must rely on the client to actually show up at the agreed appointment time.
In some cases, in which a non-appearance or an off-time appearance of the client would lead to significant disturbance of operations and result in considerable financial loss, service providers contact their clients shortly ahead of the appointment to make sure they show up. Although this is a considerable administrative effort it is for instance being done by orthodontists and dentists in order to assure a steady utilization of their resources.
In the case of doctors, dentists or orthodontists, but also other service providers, a non-appearance can result in significant economic loss as they often have to dedicate a considerable amount of (human) resources and time to a single treatment of a single client. In the case of orthodontists, for instance, the issue is particularly serious because they usually deal with young adults and children who tend to be less reliable in keeping appointments than adults.
From a client perspective, waiting is an annoying routine. In most cases, in which a client arrives perfectly on the time that was agreed upon, he has to wait. The main reasons for this condition are that it is often difficult to precisely plan a treatment and that service providers usually do not take into account unforeseen events or factors that might delay the service. Service providers want to assure continuous operations and a steady “supply” of clients over the day. In order to assure this uninterrupted service, service providers accept a certain waiting time for their clients who then waste valuable life and work time as usually the waiting time cannot be bridged with productive activities.